It was a Monday morning and I was in a café doing some work for college and the barista working was called Jess. She was short, no more than five foot four, and had beautiful blonde hair that came down to her shoulders. She spins from the till to the coffee machine in such a manner that she looks like a ballerina on stage with the spotlight on her. Her orange top was the brightest thing I have ever seen, she might as well of been wearing a high vis jacket and it was paired with some black sports leggings that shaped her legs in a very appealing way. Everything about how she looked was amazing, although it was her personality which made me fall for her. She was one of the most kind-hearted people I have ever spoken to in my life, other than Lizzie of course, and she was polite to everyone regardless of whether they were polite to her or not. She'd open the doors for customers, offer to cover shifts, triple check on the customers sitting in the café - you name it, she did it.
A few weeks passed, and I went to that café every day just to see her. It took me about a month to build up the courage to speak to her about something that wasn't a flat white and an almond croissant.
'Hey.'
'Hi.'
That's it. That's all I said the first time, so the next day I tried again.
'Hey.'
'Hi.'
'How are you this morning?'
'I'm good, thank you. How are you?'
'I'm good. I was wondering if I could take you for lunch sometime?'
'Urm, well, I finish work at one if that works for you?'
'Today?'
'Yes.'
'I'll meet you outside at one then.'
I had done it. I got a date with the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. Other than Lizzie, of course.
You're probably wondering who Lizzie is, she was the most amazing girl I had ever met. The world did not deserve her. So, I killed her. I killed Lizzie. But anyway, back to me and Jess.
I waited for her outside the café at one o'clock and out she came in all her glory. She looked as beautiful as ever. She wore a loose t-shirt that was bright pink and a tight black denim skirt with fishnet tights and boots. It sent a tingle up my spine. I love fishnets.
'Hello.'
'Wow. Urm, hi.' I've never been so stunned, not even by Lizzie but she can't know about her. Not yet anyway. 'How was work?'
'Busy, but that's normal.'
'Good. What do you fancy for lunch?' I asked, hoping she'd have an idea of where to go.
'It's up to you.' Shit.
'Urm, what about a Nandos?'
'Sure, sounds good to me.'
Classic, you can never go wrong with a Nandos. Lizzie loved Nandos.
We walked into town and had a lovely meal and we didn't stop talking until I heard the sirens outside. They stopped outside and two armed policemen came into the restaurant. Shit. Jess could see the scared look on my face.
'Are you okay?' She asked.
'Urm, yeah. I'm just going to go to the toilet quickly.' I walked hastily to the toilets at the back of Nandos and waited there until I heard...
'He went to the toilets.' That was Jess's voice. Shit. I was fucked. There wasn't even a window I could climb out of. I could hear them. At this point I just accepted what was going to happen. Then they came in, except I recognised them. I blacked out after that.
I finally woke up, I was slumped in the corner of a dark, unkept room. There was two men, in masks and hats, that I didn't recognise. Then suddenly I heard
'Please sit down.' He had a deep, sinister tone in his voice.
'Okay, but why?'
'Just do it.'
'I said okay...'
'Sit the fuck down.' This voice was different, it sounded almost Russian.
'Why am I...'
'Here?'
'Urm, yeah.'
'Try and guess.'
'Guess what?' Shit.
'What you did.' Lizzie.
'Let me go.'
'Guess.' This time they spoke simultaneously, and it made all the hairs on my back stick up like they do when someone scratches their nails along a chalkboard or something.
'Please.' They tied my hands to the back of the chair using some kind of cable ties. They pulled them so tight I thought my hands were going to fall off.
And then someone, or something, hit me in the back of the head and it all went dark. Again.
I didn't regain my consciousness until what seemed like days later, but I wouldn't know because the room had no windows. Or doors by what I could see.
'You're awake.' Shit. They're back. I wanted to run. But I couldn't. I wanted to scream. But I couldn't.
'Stand up.' I stood up.
'Walk over to this corner.' I did. How did they know? I had hidden what happened so well. Lizzie. She was too good for this world.
